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. 2022 Jun 10;37(1):385.
doi: 10.4102/sajid.v37i1.385. eCollection 2022.

Limited syphilis testing for key populations in Zimbabwe: A silent public health threat

Mathias Dzobo  1 , Tafadzwa Dzinamarira  1 , Grant Murewanhema  2 , Roda Madziva  3 , Helena Herrera  4 , Godfrey Musuka  5
Affiliations

Limited syphilis testing for key populations in Zimbabwe: A silent public health threat

Mathias Dzobo et al. S Afr J Infect Dis. .

Abstract

In this article, the authors discuss the problem of high prevalences of active syphilis amongst key populations (KPs) in Zimbabwe, in combination with low testing rates, partly because of a difficult legal and social environment for these populations. The article highlights the need to develop strategies to address the high prevalence of syphilis amongst KPs. The authors discuss requirements for addressing deficits in existing clinical services, predominantly primary care settings, in providing primary healthcare, including sexually transmitted infection (STI) management, to Zimbabwe's KP communities and utility of point-of-care testing and self-testing and other innovations to improve testing uptake.

Keywords: HIV; Zimbabwe; key populations; syphilis; testing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.

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